Parallel Verses

New Heart English Bible

They returned to Joshua, and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Do not make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them."

New American Standard Bible

They returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few.”

King James Version

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.

Holman Bible

After returning to Joshua they reported to him, “Don’t send all the people, but send about 2,000 or 3,000 men to attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, don’t wear out all our people there.”

International Standard Version

returned to Joshua. "Not all of the people need to go up," they reported. "Only about two or three thousand men should attack Ai. Since they are so few, don't make all of the army work hard up there."

A Conservative Version

And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Let not all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai. Do not make all the people to toil there, for they are but few.

American Standard Version

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to toil thither; for they are but few.

Amplified

Then they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not make all the people go up [to fight]; have only about two thousand or three thousand men go up and attack Ai; do not make the entire army go up there, for they [of Ai] are few.”

Bible in Basic English

Then they came back to Joshua and said to him, Do not send all the people up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and make an attack on Ai; there is no need for all the people to be tired with the journey there, for it is only a small town.

Darby Translation

And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Let not all the people go up; let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to toil thither, for they are few.

Julia Smith Translation

And they will turn back to Joshua, and will say to him, All the people shall not go up; about two thousand men or about three thousand men shall go up and smite Ai: thou shalt not weary there all the people for they few.

King James 2000

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai; and make not all the people to toil up there; for they are but few.

Lexham Expanded Bible

And they returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up and attack Ai; [only] two or three thousand men should go up because they [are] few. Do not make all the people weary [up] there."

Modern King James verseion

And they returned to Joshua and said to him, Let not all the people go up. But let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Do not make all the people labor there, for they are few.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

and returned unto Joshua and said unto him, "Let not all the people go up, but let as it were a two or three thousand men go up and destroy Ai, and make not all the people to labour thither, for they are but few."

NET Bible

They returned and reported to Joshua, "Don't send the whole army. About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai. Don't tire out the whole army, for Ai is small."

The Emphasized Bible

And they returned unto Joshua and said unto him - Let not all the people go up, about two thousand men or three thousand men, can go up and smite Ai, - do not weary the whole people to go thither, for, but few, they are.

Webster

And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few.

World English Bible

They returned to Joshua, and said to him, "Don't let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Don't make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them."

Youngs Literal Translation

and they turn back unto Joshua, and say unto him, 'Let not all the people go up; let about two thousand men, or about three thousand men, go up, and they smite Ai; cause not all the people to labour thither; for they are few.'

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
שׁוּב 
Shuwb 
Usage: 1058

to Joshua
יהושׁע יהושׁוּע 
Y@howshuwa` 
Usage: 218

and said

Usage: 0

unto him, Let not all the people
עם 
`am 
Usage: 1867

go up
עלה 
`alah 
עלה 
`alah 
Usage: 890
Usage: 890

but let about two or three
שׁלשׁה שׁלושׁה שׁלשׁ שׁלושׁ 
Shalowsh 
Usage: 430

אלף 
'eleph 
Usage: 504

men
אישׁ 
'iysh 
Usage: 692

and smite
נכה 
Nakah 
Usage: 501

Ai
עיּת עיּא עי 
`Ay 
Usage: 40

and make not all the people
עם 
`am 
Usage: 1867

to labour
יגע 
Yaga` 
Usage: 26

References

American

Easton

Ai

Hastings

Morish

Ai

Smith

Ai

Context Readings

The Sin Of Achan

2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, "Go up and spy out the land." The men went up and spied out Ai. 3 They returned to Joshua, and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Do not make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them." 4 So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai.

Cross References

Proverbs 13:4

The soul of the sluggard desires, and has nothing, but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

Proverbs 21:25

The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

Luke 13:24

"Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able.

Hebrews 4:11

Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.

Hebrews 6:11-12

We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,

2 Peter 1:5

Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;

2 Peter 1:10

Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain